Park Plaza a great idea but needs fixing
I love the Plaza idea, but the execution caught most folks off guard. It looks nothing like the renderings, which had plants and more substantial/elegant furniture. Fix those things and I think most folks will come around. The temporary road block makes it look like a construction zone, and that wasn’t in the renderings as well.
Kirk Morgan
Laguna Beach
Undergrounding: Do the math
Do the math...estimated cost $250,000,000...Utility electric meters 15,000...equals about $17,000 per meter.
The effective cost of a $17,000 20 year bond will be about $100/month at current interest rates. Who wants to be forced to pay an additional $100/month for electricity?
So here is what should happen. Each meter gets a vote. Votes are counted. Take the number of votes in favor and divide them into $250,000,000. Inform the in favor voters what their new share of the cost would be and take another vote. Continue this process until the new vote is the same as the last vote and issue a bond to the remaining in favor voters for their share.
J T Price
Laguna Beach
Let’s get the utilities underground
I ran the undergrounding of utilities in the El Mirador neighborhood. It made a huge difference for everyone and increased our property values.
I noticed that Goff and Park Ave intersection had a lot of utility work on Tuesday. Lots of equipment, trucks and workers snoozing in their trucks. It was a repair and reinforcement of existing poles.
Let’s get all Laguna utilities underground and in the Canyon too.
Walker Reed
Laguna Beach
In favor of Park Plaza with reservations
Personally, I’d like Forest closed to traffic. All the walking streets I’ve ever seen increase foot traffic, which I feel would be an asset to all the shops on the street. So I was pleased to see a closure at Park Plaza but although I say I’m in favor of it I am disappointed in what it actually is. I would never sit down on a metal chair on an asphalt street. There is no beauty or character here. Why would anyone sit there with the beach beckoning?
Perry Stampfel
Laguna Beach
Park Plaza is not attractive
Is it true it cost $24,000 to stage the Park Plaza in Laguna? If so, the company/person who designed and staged it, made quite a profit!
It is not attractive at all and the tables and chairs look cheap and do not adhere to the beauty and charm of Laguna Beach.
We would not vote for the Park Plaza, as it is an eye sore at its current stage.
As Laguna Beach residents for 28 years, it is just our humble opinion.
Debbie and Mike Thornton
Laguna Beach
Undergrounding makes sense
While I am sure people are going to be up in arms about this I feel it is a good investment in the city to under ground the lines. I would be willing to pay more in taxes to have a safer (and visually cleaner city). Overhead poles/lines are a danger, inconvenience (whenever the canyon is closed due to an accident), and an eye sore. Hopefully we can come up with some answers to this problem.
Kristen Weaver
Laguna Beach
Undergrounding access routes versus neighborhoods’ utilities
I live on Top of the World and our utilities have always been underground so I feel, as a low income resident, that I shouldn’t have to pay to underground another neighborhood’s utilities.
As to undergrounding local access routes, that would be a different story.
Sandi Werthe
Laguna Beach
Obituary
David J McDonald Jr.
David J McDonald, Jr., died peacefully of natural causes in his Laguna Beach home on 10/29/17. McDonald was a Professor of Drama at UCI until 2004. He earned his PhD from Stanford, his MFA from the Yale School of Drama and his BA from the University of Notre Dame.
During his career, he was the Founding Director of the Humanities Research Institute for the UC system, collaborated with Murray Krieger of the School of Criticism and Theory, directed plays, served as editor of Theatre Journal, and was instrumental in brining prominent international scholars, such as Jerzy Grotowski and Robert Weiman to campus.
He was also very instrumental in establishing the UCI Department of Drama and UC San Diego Department of Theatre’s Joint Doctoral Program in Drama and Theatre.
McDonald was born in Pittsburgh, PA to David J McDonald, former president of the Steel Workers Union (1960s) and Emily Price McDonald.
McDonald leaves behind his wife, Maura, and two sons: Sean, a book publisher in New York, and Charlie, a middle school math teacher and coach in Santa Ana, and three grandchildren.
The family will hold a private memorial service in which his ashes will be spread in the Pacific Ocean, per his wishes.
A win-win solution to utilities, trees, and Park Plaza issues
Here is a win -win for everybody.
Let’s underground the trees and all currently above ground utility wiring.
We can leave all the homeless pigeons to roost in Park Plaza or they can all get the flock out of here.
John Walker
Laguna Beach
Make Park Plaza More Appealing and Permanent
We thank the City for extending temporary use of the Park Plaza space, but the City needs to do more: a) expedite the process to install a long overdue left-hand turn signal at Laguna Avenue; b) allow food/coffee carts from neighboring restaurants to be placed on the sidewalk opposite the Adonis restaurant; c) make the space more visually appealing (instead of multiple cement blockades and flashing “ROAD CLOSURE” signs, create a more aesthetically pleasing and inviting entrance); and d) cover the asphalt, install a small fountain or add other enhancements.
Ellen and Roger Kempler
Laguna Beach
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